Book.



B. S. BROWNE. BOOK. I APPLICATION FILED OUT. 23, 1911.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 20., WASHINGTON, D. c.

E. S. BROWNE.

APPLIUATION FILED OQT. 23, 1911.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. S. BROWNE.

BOOK.

1,085,536. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 23,- 1911. Patented Jan 27,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

RECORD jiweitz'ol x COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,w1\smNu'roN, u. c.

E. S. BROWNE.

BOOK.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 23, 1911.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

.5 SHFBIS -SHEET 4.

ADDRESS s 0.. WASHINGTON D c E. S. BROWNE.

BOOK. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23,1911.

1,085,536. g Patented Jan.27, 1914.

s SHEETS-SHEET 5.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

EDWIN s. BROWNE, or RIVERTON, NEW .TERs-EY.

BOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 27,1914.

Application filed October 23, 1911. Serial No. 656,159.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN S. BRowNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverton, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Books; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to books. and more particularly to books of the loose leaf or loose unit type.

One object of the present invention is to produce a loose leaf or loose unit book comprising means by which the loose leaves or units are easily but firmly secured in the binder cover.

Another object of the present invention is to so construct and arrange the filler units that the book is adaptable for a number of uses, as, for instance, a combined address, memorandum and check book.

Still another object of the present invention is to produce a compact binding means so that the loose leaf book may closely resemble a bound'book and a wide binding margin will be unnecessary for the pages.

With the above objects in view, the present invention consists in the loose unit boo-k hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the manner of opening the binding means to remove the filler; Fig. 2 is an end view of the binding co-ver'and filler; Fig. 3 IS a perspective view illustrating the manner 11] which the binding means is closed, to secure the filler in the cover; Fig. 4c is a view of the main inner or fly leaf cover laid flat; Fig. 5 is a view of an auxiliary inner cover combined with a blotting sheet, the cover and blotting sheet being shown laid fiat; Fig. 6 is a View of a check signature laid flat to show the two outer pages thereof; Fig. 7 is a view of a check record signature laid flat to show the two outer pages thereof; Fig. 8 is a view of a check record signature laid fiat to show the two innermost pages thereof; Fig. 9 is a detail viewshowing the wire stitch or staple; Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the main inner or fly leaf cover folded over; Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing an auxiliary inner cover combined with a blotter; Fig. 12 is a perspective View of a folded check record signature; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a check signature; Fig. 14: is a perspective view of an index sheet; Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a memorandum signature illus trating the manner in which an index sheet is combined therewith; Fig. 16 is a perspective view of an address signature; Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the several sections or signatures may be combined with ea h other before their insertion in the main inner cover and binder; Fig. 18 is an enlarged cross section taken. on the line 1818 of Fig. 20; Fig. 19 is a view taken in an enlarged longitudinal cross section of the ends of the binder plate; Fig. 20 is a view of the binder plate detached: F lg. 21 is an enlarged view showing one end of the detached binder plate; Fig. 22 is a view in cross section on the line 22-22 of Fig. 21; Fig. 23 is a perspective view of the binder-yoke removed from the binder plate; and Fig. 24 is a cross sectional view-similar to Fig. 22, illustrating the bindenyoke in open position.

Referring to the drawings, the outer cover comprises front and back covers 1- and 2, and a back portion 8 in which is held the binder plate l. The binder plate 4L is preferably made out of a single piece of thin sheet metal having its edges bent over to form a holder in which the two binderyokes 5 are secured. Each binder-yoke 5 consists of an arch or hook portion 6, which engages the filler units, and an axle 8, by means of which the binder-yoke is mounted in the binder plate 4. The binder-yokes are preferably made of resilient spring wire and are adapted to be snapped into open or closed position. hen in open position, the hook or arch portion 6 forms an openended hook over the end of which thefiller sections may be slipped or threaded, and when in closed posit-ion the hook or arch portion 6 forms a semi-circular arch which securely holds the tiller units. In forming the binder plate 4-, one of its edges is cut and turned over to form three cylindrical tubes 10, in which the axles of the binderyokes are journaled. The portions of the edge between the tubes 10 are bent up at 9 and over at 11 to form chambers of substantially right-triangular cross-section in which are received the offset portions 12 of the binder axles 8. When a binder-hook is opened or closed, its axle 8 turns in the tubes 10 which are in line with the lower right hand corner of the triangular chamber, as shown in Figs. 22 and 2 1, and the offset portion 12 slides along the overturned portion or lip 11 of the binder plate. The binder-yokes are made of resilient spring wire so that when the offset portion 12 is turned against the lip 11, the offset portion will be flattened somewhat to allow the axle to turn. When the binder-hook 6 is in open and in closed positions, as illustrated in Figs. 24 and 22 respectively, the resilient offset portion 12 springs or bows out so that in these positions it lies against those walls of the triangular chamber which are formed by the upturned part 5) of the edge and by the fiat back of the binder plate respectively and which constitute the two legs of the right triangle of cross section of the chamher. The overturned lip 11 along the inner surface of which the offset portion 12 slides forms the third side or hypotenuse of this right triangle. This construction of binderhook is very cheap to manufacture is easily snapped open and closed and is securely held in both open and closed positions. The opposite edge of the binder plate is bent up and over to form a lip 13 which lies over the downturned ends of the lips 11 and makes the binder plate of uniform thickness. The lip 18 is formed with apertures 14: near its bent-up portion to receive the free ends of the binder-hooks 6 when they are closed. At the ends of the binder plate lips 15 are turned over to form finished ends therefor.

In constructing the cover the binder plate 4 is laid against the back portion 3 and the top and bottom edges of the cover binding are folded over the ends of the binder plate, as indicated at 20 in Fig. 19. A lining 21 is then cemented to the inside of the cover and thus completely covers the binder plate, the lining being formed with holes for the hooks 6 of the binder-yokes so that the only metal parts which appear to the eye are the arched portions of the two binder-hooks 6. The binder plate with its binder yokes forms a very compact construction. The width of the binder plate and the span of the binder yokes need not be greater than the thickness of the contained leaves, and both the binder plate and binder yokes are inclosed within the cover. This produces a loose leaf book having a thin back and presenting the appearance of a permanently bound book.

The filler units have a novel fastening means, by which they are threaded or held on the binder-yokes. The signatures of units which form the check record, the check, the memorandum and the address sections are all formed in a similar manner, and are provided with the same kind of fastening means or staples by means of which they are held on the binder-hooks. These signatures are formed of a number of sheets of paper folded over upon themselves in pamphlet form. In the folded edges of the signatures are cut notches 25. In the check, the memorandum and the address signatures, these notches are cut to a sulficient depth to loosely receive the wire binding-hooks 6 and may or may not extend through the inner sheets of the signature, depending on whether the number of sheets in the signature is small or great. The notches 25 in the folded edge of the check record signature are cut deeper than in the other signatures and extend through all of the sheets of the signature, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The separate sheets of the signature are secured together by wire staples or stitches 26, the ends of which are clenched through all of the sheets of the signature at either side of the notches 25, and the medial portions of which lie over and close the open ends of the notches. The staples 26 perform the double function of holding together the sheets of the signature and of forming the fastening or securing devices, by means of which the signatures are held on the binder'hooks. The medial portion or base 27 of each staple lies substantially in the edge of the signature, so that when the leaves of the book are turned the signatures pivot and turn easily on the binder-arches or hooks. The staples 26 are very similar to the ordinary staples used in stapling pamphlets and may be readily and cheaply inserted by the regular staple setting machines, so that the signatures are assembled and manufactured very cheaply.

Each check signature 29 is formed of ten sheets of paper folded to make twenty leaves for the checks. These leaves are provided with the usual perforations or indentations.

30 so that the checks can be easily torn out. ()n the check stubs there are spaces in which to insert the detail of purpose of the check and its serial number. The checks are printed so that, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 13, the checks on the first ten leaves face the front and the checks on the last ten leaves of the check signature face the back of the book. p

The check record signature 35, or record" si nature. as it ma be desi nated a: n for convenience, 1s made of five sheets of paper folded together to make ten leaves.

The first page of the check record signature is ruled with spaces and columns for the entry of deposits. The second and third pages are ruled for the entry of the purpose and amount of the checks. The fourth and fifth pages are ruled for deposit entries, like the first page. The sixth and seventh pages are ruled like the second and third, and so on through the check record signature, every two oppositely-facing page's being alternately employed for deposit and check records, respectively, and the last page being employed for deposit entries. The record signature is thus formed with both of its outer faces printed for deposit entries, and each pair of opposing pages in the signature alternately printed for the entry of deposits and of checks drawn. In using the check book a signature of checks is placed between the pages of the record signature which are printed for the entry of the check records. These check record pages have provision for the entry of ten check records therein, the number of spaces being the same as that of the ten checks which are printed on the first ten sheets of the check signature and face the record sheet. The last ten sheets in the check signature face the opposite record page and are there to be recorded. If the book be carried as a pocket book it is preferable to insert but a single signature of checks. The check rec'ord signature, however, with its record of previously drawn checks, is to be kept until all of its record pages are used. Thus a record of the checks may be kept for reference after the checks are drawn and the check stubs removed from the book. Since the notches 25 in the check record signatures are cut comparatively deep, there is sufficient space for the binder hooks to pass through the notches and behind the staples of the check signatures which are placed between the leaves of the record signature, and for this purpose the notches 25 in the record signature are cut through all of the sheets so that a comparatively deep notch is formed even in the inner sheet, as shown in Fig. 8. This deep notching, of course, is necessary only in the check record signature, the notches in the check signature being preferably not deeper than the diameter of the wire of the binderhooks. Of course, when one or more check signatures are included between the leaves of a record signature, the staples of the check signature or signatures lie across the notch of the record signature between the binder hooks and the staples of the record signature so that under these circumstances the staples of the record signature do not engage the binder hooks and the composite signature which comprises both the record signature and one or more check signatures included between its leaves, is held by the staples of the check signature or signatures. However, when a record signature with no included check signature is in the book, as, for example, when the record signature has been used and is retained in the book for the purposes of reference to the checks recorded therein, the staples of the record signature engage the binder hooks and serve to hold the record signature.

An inner auxiliary cover or folder 39 for the check signatures is provided in order to separate the signatures from the rest of the book, to hold a blotter and to form a permanent indexing cover or folder for the record signature after it has been removed from the book and filed away. This cover or folder is formed, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 11, of a single sheet of paper folded upon itself with two notches or slots 40 cut in its folded edges. One edge 41 is bent over and has a blotter 42 pasted thereon. In the assembled book, a stitched signature or signatures are placed between the two leaves of said inner cover or folder. As illustrated in Fig. 17, a check record signature and a check signature are to be inclosed by the inner folder. The slots 40 in the inner folder provide a space for the binder-yokes to pass through and engage behind the staples of the inclosed signatures. This folder is thus held in place by the signatures which it incloses and cannot be removed until the signatures are taken out. The blotter 42 may be turned in to blot the check and the check entry, and also forms a convenient book-mark to be laid against the next unwritten check, so that it may be quickly found on opening the book.

The address signature, as illustrated in Fig. 16, has indexing letters or tabs formed on its edges.

The memorandum section is preferably formed for a single month only, and, as illustrated in Fig. 15, may be indexed for the memoranda to be made on the different days of the month. At the beginning of a new month the old memorandum section may be removed and a new one inserted.

An extra or indexing sheet may be employed for any section. Such an indexing sheet is shown in Figs. 14 and 15 as applied to the memorandum section. It consists of a single sheet of paper folded along its inner edge to form a short fold or flap 50. In the folded inner edge are cut notches 51. l/Vhen the signature is slipped into the folded edge of the index sheet, these notches 51 form spaces for the binder arches to pass through and behind the staples of the signature with which the index sheet is to be used. The outer edge of the indexing sheet may, as illustrated in the drawings, be formed with a flap 52 which may form a convenient key to the index spaces of the sheet, or on which may be entered special records.

A. fly leaf cover illustrated in Fig. 10 is provided as a sort of inner cover, between the two leaves of which all of the signatures are inclosed. This fly leaf cover has calendars printed on its inner pages and has the address of the owner on the front page of the fly leaf. The folded edge of the fly leaf cover is provided with two slots or notches 61 of a length equal to the span of binder-yokes to provide for the passage of the binder-yokes through the notches so that the inclosed signatures may he slipped thereon.

In assembling the signatures in the outer cover, the front and back covers 1 and 2 are laid flat and the binder-hooks are lifted to open position. Then the fly leaf cover 60 is placed in the outer cover with its two leaves lying flat against the front and back of the outer cover. Then the inclosed units or signatures are strung on the hooks by slipping their wire stitches over the free ends of the hooks and laying the signatures against the back cover. After all of the units are strung on the hooks, the front cover is laid over against the units and by pressure of the thumb along the back of the cover the hooks are snapped into closed position, as illustrated in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the back cover and inclosed signatures are grasped by the right hand so that the signatures are held from slipping off the binder-hooks when the binder plate is pressed to the right by the thumb of the left hand.

The manner in which a composite unit is strung or placed on the open binder hooks is best described by pointing out the manner in which the composite unit composed of the folder 39, a check record signature 35 and a check signature 29 is placed on the binder hooks. The folder 39 is first laid flat so that the binder hooks project upwardly through the notches 40. Then the stapled notches of the check record signature 35 are slipped over the free ends of the binder hooks. The check record signature is then opened fiat to expose the two pages between which it is desired to insert the check signature. Since the check record signature is opened flat and the notches in its edge are comparatively long, the free ends of the binder hooks are exposed. The check signature is then inserted by slipping its stapled notches over the free ends of the binder hooks and the check signature is then turned to the right and laid against the back of the book, after which the front pages of the check record signature are turned over against the check signature. The front leaf of the folder 39 is then turned to the right, and the free ends of the hooks are exposed to receive the next signature.

If a number of check signatures are to be placed in a single record signature, the check record signature is laid fiat to expose the last pages between which it is desired to insert a check signature and the check signature is inserted in the manner indicated. Then two leaves of the check record signature are turned to the back and another check signature inserted in the same manner as the first was inserted. In this Way a number of check signatures may be placed in a single check record signature.

To remove the filler units, the front cover of the book is laid back and grasped, as illustrated in Fig. 1, in the left hand while the back cover and inclosed signatures are grasped in the right hand and the book is pulled apart. The staples of the signatures lift the binder hooks and snap them to open position and the filler units may be removed by turning them against the front cover when the book is laid fiat.

While in the preferred embodiment of the invention the binder yokes are made of spring wire so that the oifset portions 12 are flattened when the binder yokes are turned, it is obvious that the same efi'ect might be produced by making the lips 11 of resilient material so that the lips 11 would spring up when the ofiset portion 12' is turned beneath them. It is cheaper to make the binder yokes of resilient material than it is to make the back plate of resilient material, therefore the preferred embodiment has been described as having the resilient offset portion 12. It is nevertheless within the purview of the invention to make the lips 11 of resilent material so that they will yield, or to make the lips 11 and the offset portion 12 both yieldable.

lVhile the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings and described in the foregoing description constitutes the preferred form of the invention because of its simplicity, it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims:

1. A composite signature for a loose unit book comprising two separate signatures, one signature being adapted to be placed within the other signature, said composite signature having means whereby it may be held in a binder, substantially as described 2. A composite signature for a loose unit book comprising two separate signatures, each signature consisting of a number of sheets of paper folded upon themselves and fastened together, one of theseparate signatures being adapted to be placed between the leaves of the other signature, said composite signature having means along its folded edge whereby it may be secured in a binder, substantially as described. I

3. A composite signature comprising two separate signatures, one signature being adapted to be placed between the leaves of the other signature, the outer signature having notches along its folded edge, and the inner signature having coinciding notches along its folded edge and having a stitch extending across the notches whereby the composite signature may be secured in a binder, substantially as described.

4. A book having, in combination, a cover, a signature comprising sheets of paper folded on themselves and notched along its folded edge and having the sheets of paper permanently bound together by staples clenched through the sheets and extending across the open ends of the notches, and means mount ed on the cover and extending through the notches behind the staples for removably holding the signature within the cover, substantially as described.

'5. A book having, in combination, a cover including a back, a signature comprising sheets of paper folded on themselves and notched along its folded edge and having the sheets of paper permanently bound together by staples clenched through the sheets and provided with straight bases lying over the ends of the notches, and means extending transversely of the cover back to engage behind the base of the staples and removably hold the signature within the cover, substantially as described.

6. A removable signature for a book comprising a plurality of folded sheets one within the other and notched at a plurality of points along its inner or folded edge for the engagement of suitable binding devices, and a stitch for permanently securing the sheets together comprising a staple inserted and clenched over each notch with its entire base lying substantially'in the line of the.

outer folded edge of the signature, substantially as described.

7. A signature for a loose unit book comprising a plurality of sheets of paper folded upon themselves and having a plurality of notches cut in its folded edge extending from the edge inward sufficiently deep to receive a binder-yoke, and wire staple fastening devices for uniting the sheets, one fastening device being provided at each notch and having its ends extending through all of the sheets and clenched upon opposite sides of the notch and having its medial portion closing the open end of the notch in a line substantially in the outer edge of the signature, substantially as described.

8. A book having, in combination, a cover comprising a back, binder-yokes secured to said back, an inner removable cover comprising a sheet of paper folded upon itself and having notches cut in its folded edge to fit over said binder-yokes, and a filler unit placed within said inner cover and removably held by said binder-yokes, whereby the inner cover is held on said binder-yokes, substantially as described.

9. A book having, in combination, a cover comprising a back, binder-yokes secured to said back, a filler unit removably held by said binder-yokes, an index sheet folded over along its inner edge and having notches cut in the folded edge, whereby said index sheet may be fitted over the inner edge of the filler unit and be held thereby upon the binder-yokes, substantially as described.

10. A loose leaf book having, in combination, a cover, a removable signature, binderyokes adapted to removably hold said signa ture, an inner cover or folder comprising a sheet of paper folded on itself, adapted to be laid over the signature and having notches cut in its folded edge to engage over the binder-yokes whereby it is held on the binder-yokes by its inclosed signature, said index sheet having a blotter secured to its outer edge and adapted to be turned between the leaves of the signature, substantially as described.

11. A signature for a loose-unit book comprising a plurality of sheets folded upon themselves and having a notch cut in its folded edge extending from the folded edge inward sufficiently deep to receive a binding device, and a wire staple having its ends extending inward from the outer folded edge of the signature through all of the sheets and clenched at the inner side of the folded edge upon opposite sides of the notch and having a straight medial portion extending across the open end of the notch in a line substantially coincident with the outer edge of the fold, substantially as described.

EDWVIN S. BROWVNE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE 1t. STEBBINS, ALICE AOKROYD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Datents, Washington, D. C. 

